#978 The Race I Almost Didn’t Do

In our last couple +1s, we talked about finishing strong and getting to the starting lines of life.

Today I want to chat about a recent starting line I almost didn’t get to.

Quick context. Emerson’s birthday was at the end of September. It just so happened to be the weekend of the Spartan Race World Championships.

Now, I wasn’t planning to race because of my 20 screws. And… I wasn’t even going to go to the event this year but a couple of friends (Mark Divine and Ben Greenfield) told me I should go and then Joe De Sena invited me to be on his podcast that weekend so I figured, “Let’s go and have a fun family adventure while hanging out with some friends and super-inspiring-heroically-fit humans.”

We get there. It’s amazing. The energy days before the event is palpable. I mean, Spartan took over the WHOLE MOUNTAIN at Squaw Valley (where the 1960 Olympic Winter Games was hosted).

The whole thing is just perfect.

Note: Again, I arrive with ZERO intention of actually doing the race. It’s 7 months after my injury and I’m not even supposed to be doing burpees yet, let alone racing. I haven’t done more than a 3-mile hike/trail run since my injury and this course is nearly 14 miles long and features 39 obstacles, etc., etc., etc.

Then…

Emerson comes back from a little adventure and tells me about a guy he met who has NO LEGS. And, you know what? HE’S doing the Race.

So…

Emerson says in his matter-of-fact way: “Daddy. If he can do the Race, so can you.”

Ahem.

Yaahhhhhhh…

At which point, I might have pulled some strings and gotten into the Race. (Thanks, Team Spartan!)

It was absolutely awesome.

As I went over every obstacle I thanked my amazing surgeon (Dr. D!) and physical therapist (Dr. J!).

Literally. My mantra throughout the Race was “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.” (For them, my family, our team, YOU!)

And… My other go to mantra might have been “OMMS!!!” “OMMS!!!” “OMMS!!!” (Why? Because IT’S TRUE!!!)

All of which leads us to the point of Today’s +1.

One more time: Are there any STARTING LINES you need to get yourself to in life?

Yah?

Which one?

I’ll see ya there. Let’s run that Race together.

+1. +1. +1.

P.S. Emerson and I ran the last 100 meters together holding hands. This picture of us at the Finish Line is now hanging my wall.